Comparison of the collagenous products synthesized in culture by pig aortic endothelial and smooth-muscle cells. Variability in endothelial-cell cultures.

In contrast with smooth-muscle cells from the same tissue, endothelial cells from pig aorta were found to exhibit in culture considerable variability in the pattern of collagen synthesis between one isolation of cells and the next. Synthesis varied from largely collagen type I to virtually all type III in the absence of type I but with small amounts still of collagens types IV and V, to, in one instance, synthesis basically of only type V. Synthesis usually by these cells of collagen predominantly of the interstitial type (I and III) rather than, as might be expected, that from basement membrane (type IV) was not attributable to the influence of subculture. All four collagen types were deposited in the cell layer to an increased extent in primary compared with secondary cultures of either smooth muscle or endothelial origin. Endothelial cells appeared sometimes to synthesize a large-Mr collagenous entity that might conceivably be related to 'short-chain' collagen. In addition, small-Mr hydroxyproline-containing peptides were detected that might reflect rapid collagen(s) turnover in endothelial cultures.     

Lymphatic endothelial and smooth-muscle cells in tissue culture

Summary Endothelial and smooth-muscle cells from bovine mesenteric lymphatic vessels have been collected and cultured in vitro. The endothelial cells grew as a monolayer exhibiting a “cobblestone” appearance with individual cells tending to be more flattened at confluence than their blood vascular counterparts. Approximately 30% of these cells expressed Factor VIII antigen compared with bovine mesenteric artery or human umbilical-vein endothelium in which the majority of cells were positive. The lymphatic smooth-muscle cells exhibited focal areas of multilayering and were Factor VIII negative. The availability of lymphatic endothelial and smooth-muscle cells in culture will provide a new tool for the investigation of the biological properties of the lymphatic vessels and their role in homeostasis. Supported by the Medical Research Council of Canada, Grant MA-7925     

Uptake of very low density lipoprotein triglyceride by bovine aortic endothelial cells in culture.

Primary monolayers of calf aortic endothelial cells were presented with isolated human very low density lipoproteins that had been labeled with radioactive triglyceride. The cells were observed to take up triglyceride over a 24 hr period; incorporation increased with exogenous lipoprotein concentrations, and up to 60% of the triglyceride taken up was converted to other cell lipids within 24 hr. When [2-3H]glyceryl tri[1-14C]oleate-labeled very low density lipoprotein was used, the 3H/14C ratio in the cell triglyceride was always similar to that of the exogenous lipoprotein triglyceride. Moreover, no significant hydrolysis of the exogenous very low density lipoprotein triglyceride was observed during the time of exposure to the cells. Similar experiments using doubly-labeled triglyceride exposed to endothelial cells in triglyceride-phospholipid liposome preparations also resulted in incorporation of the exogenous triglyceride without evidence of extracellular hydrolysis. The results indicate that primary monolayers of endothelial cells in culture are able to incorporate and metabolize very low density lipoprotein triglyceride. However, triglyceride does not appear to be significantly hydrolyzed during uptake, suggesting an absence of lipoprotein lipase activity in these cells.     

Metabolism of adenine nucleotides by ectoenzymes of vascular endothelial and smooth-muscle cells in culture.

1. Pig aortic endothelial and smooth-muscle cells in culture rapidly catabolize exogenous ATP, ADP or AMP. 2. In both cell types catabolism is due to Mg2+-stimulated ectoenzymes. 3. Inhibition and substrate-specificity studies suggest that both cell types possess three distinct ectonucleotidases, namely nucleoside triphosphatase (EC 3.6.1.15), nucleoside diphosphatase (EC 3.6.1.6) and 5'-nucleotidase (EC 3.1.3.5), as well as nucleoside diphosphate kinase (EC 2.7.4.6). 4. These ectonucleotidase systems could be of importance in the regulation of neurotransmission, blood platelet function and vasodilation.     

Collagen synthesis by bovine aortic endothelial cells in culture.

Endothelial cells isolated from bovine aorta synthesize and secrete type III procollagen in culture. The procollagen, which represents the major collagenous protein in culture medium, was specifically precipitated by antibodies to bovine type III procollagen and was purified by diethyl-aminoethylcellulose chromatography. Unequivocal identification of the pepsin-treated collagen was made by direct comparison with type III collagen isolated by pepsin digestion of bovine skin, utilizing peptide cleavage patterns generated by vertebrate collagenase, CNBr, and mast cell protease. The type III collagen was hydroxylated to a high degree, having a hydroxyproline/proline ratio of 1.5:1.0. Pulse-chase studies indicated that the procollagen was not processed to procollagen intermediates or to collagen. Pepsin treatment of cell layers, followed by salt fractionation at acidic and neutral pH, produced several components which were sensitive to bacterial collagenase and which comigrated on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with alpha A, alpha B, and type IV collagen chains purified from human placenta by similar techniques. Bovine aortic endothelial cells also secreted fibronectin and a bacterial collagenase-insensitive glycoprotein which, after reduction, had a molecular weight of 135,000 on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (using procollagen molecular weight standards) and which was not precipitable by antibodies to cold-insoluble globulin or to alpha 2-macroglobulin. Collagen biosynthesis by these cells provides an interesting model system for studying the polarity of protein secretion and the attachment of cells to an extracellular matrix. The presence of type III collagen in the subendothelium and the specific interaction of this protein with fibronectin and platelets suggest the involvement of this collagen in thrombus formation following endothelial cell injury.     

Uptake, metabolism, and cytotoxicity of isomeric cholesterol-5,6-epoxides in rabbit aortic endothelial cells

The isomeric cholesterol-5,6-epoxides represent two common cholesterol autoxidation products and along with their principal metabolic product, 3 beta,5 alpha,6 beta-cholestane triol, are purportedly angiotoxic. The uptake and cytotoxic action of these compounds was examined in cultured rabbit aortic endothelial cells emphasizing mechanisms of uptake and metabolic fate. The isomeric cholesterol epoxides are incorporated with equal facility and in a dose-dependent manner. The pattern of uptake, which is markedly influenced by media serum concentration and by temperature, suggests that these compounds are partly incorporated through association with serum lipoproteins. After incorporation, both epoxide isomers are rapidly converted to cholestane triol which readily exits the cells. Cholestane triol is further metabolized to an ester-type product representing up to 10% of the added cholesterol epoxides by 24 h of incubation. The order of cytotoxic potency of these cholesterol oxides is: cholestane triol greater than cholesterol-beta-epoxide greater than cholesterol-alpha-epoxide, with LD50 concentrations ranging from 23 to greater than 150 microM in confluent cells. Cholestane triol and cholesterol-beta-epoxide are twice as cytotoxic to subconfluent cells as compared to confluent cells, whereas cholesterol-alpha-epoxide is essentially equitoxic to confluent and subconfluent cells. Cholesterol epoxide cytotoxicity is significantly reduced by treatments in the absence of serum in accord with substantial reduction in uptake when incubations are performed in serum-free media. Our findings show that these cytotoxic cholesterol oxides are incorporated by endothelial cells through a combination of receptor-mediated and nonspecific or passive mechanisms; however, the efficacy of uptake and resulting toxicity is substantially influenced by serum lipoproteins.     

Thromboxane production by perturbed bovine aortic endothelial cells in culture

Bovine aortic endothelial cells in culture were incubated with endotoxin. The amount of thromboxane A2 synthesized was then determined by a specific radioimmunoassay for thromboxane B2. After a lag of several hours the cells changed their shape and parallel to the change in cell shape release of thromboxane B2 occurred. At 24 h the amount of thromboxane B2 generated in response to endotoxin was 200-fold above baseline. Thromboxane B2 generation could be blocked by aspirin and the specific thromboxane synthetase inhibitor UK 37248. The endotoxin effect was dependent on protein and RNA synthesis as evidenced by the inhibitory action of cycloheximide (1.5 microM) and actinomycin D (2 micron).     

Purine metabolism in cultured aortic and coronary endothelial cells

Purine salvage pathways in cultured endothelial cells of macrovascular (pig aorta) and microvascular (guinea pig coronary system) origin were investigated by measuring the incorporation of radioactive purine bases (adenine or hypoxanthine) or nucleosides (adenosine or inosine) into purine nucleotides. These precursors were used at initial extracellular concentrations of 0.1, 5, and 500 microM. In both types of endothelial cells, purine nucleotide synthesis occurred with all four substrates. Aortic endothelial cells salvaged adenine best among purines and nucleosides when applied at 0.1 microM. At 5 and 500 microM, adenosine was the best precursor. In contrast, microvascular endothelial cells from the coronary system used adenosine most efficiently at all concentrations studied. The synthetic capacity of salvage pathways was greater than that of the de novo pathway. As measured using radioactive formate or glycine, de novo synthesis of purine nucleotides was barely detectable in aortic endothelial cells, whereas it readily occurred in coronary endothelial cells. Purine de novo synthesis in coronary endothelial cells was inhibited by physiological concentrations of purine bases and nucleosides, and by ribose or isoproterenol. The isoproterenol-induced inhibition was prevented by the beta-adrenergic receptor antagonist propranolol. The end product of purine catabolism in aortic endothelial cells was found to be hypoxanthine, whereas coronary endothelial cells degraded hypoxanthine further to xanthine and uric acid, a reaction catalyzed by the enzyme xanthine dehydrogenase.     

Uptake and degradation of human very-low-density lipoproteins by rat liver endothelial cells in culture

Rat liver endothelial cells in primary cultures take up and degrade 125I-labelled human very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) in a saturable fashion at physiological triacylglycerol concentrations. The iodinated VLDL are readily taken up by the freshly isolated endothelial cells and degradation products appear in the medium about 30 min after the addition of VLDL to the cultures. Uptake and degradation at 37 degrees C are effectively inhibited by unlabelled human VLDL, low-density lipoproteins (LDL), high-density lipoproteins and lymph chylomicrons, but only modestly by acetylated LDL. Purified apolipoproteins E and C-III:1 also compete with the uptake of iodinated VLDL, but when degradation was studied for longer periods of time, such a competition could not be demonstrated. This may be due to the fact that the added apolipoproteins become associated with the lipoproteins. In binding experiments at 7 degrees C, iodinated apolipoprotein C III:1 bound to the liver endothelial cells in a manner characteristic of receptor binding with a dissociation constant of 0.5 microM. This binding could not only be inhibited by unlabelled apolipoprotein C-III:1 but also by unlabelled apolipoprotein E. The results indicate that rat liver endothelial cells carry receptors for VLDL and that these recognize the apolipoproteins E, C-III and B on the lipoprotein surface. Considering the large endothelial surface and high blood flow through the liver, significant quantities of lipoproteins can be taken up and degraded, thus influencing the levels of circulating lipoproteins in the in vivo situation.     

Ethanolamine metabolism in cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells

The role of extracellular ethanolamine in phospholipid synthesis was examined in cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells. Serine and ethanolamine were both readily accumulated by these cells and incorporated into phospholipid. Exposing cells to extracellular ethanolamine for 4-6 weeks had no effect on cell growth, yet increased the phosphatidylethanolamine content of these cells by 31% as compared to control cells. The intracellular content of ethanolamine was measured by high performance liquid chromatography, and results showed that the ethanolamine-treated cells contained a significantly greater amount of free ethanolamine compared to control cells (0.62 +/- 0.07 nmol/mg of protein versus 0.27 +/- 0.05 nmol/mg of protein, respectively). Ethanolamine-treated cells also had decreased accumulation and incorporation into lipid of [3H]ethanolamine throughout a 48-h incubation and increased K'm and V'max parameters of ethanolamine transport as compared to control cells. Studies were also done to examine the effect of ethanolamine on the generation of free ethanolamine from phosphatidylserine. In pulse-chase experiments with [3H]serine, a physiological concentration of ethanolamine (25 microM) decreased the amount of 3H-labeled phosphatidylethanolamine produced from 3H-labeled phosphatidylserine by 12 h as compared to the amount of 3H-labeled phosphatidyl-ethanolamine produced in the absence of ethanolamine in the chase incubation. Furthermore, ethanolamine-treated cells accumulated 20% less labeled ethanolamine in the aqueous pool from [3H]serine after 24 h of incubation than did control cells. These results can be explained by isotope dilution with the ethanolamine pool that accumulates in these cells with time when exposed to media supplemented with a physiological concentration of ethanolamine and by an effect of ethanolamine on ethanolamine generation from phosphatidylserine. The results show that an extracellular source of ethanolamine significantly influences the phospholipid metabolism of cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells.     

Lipoprotein and cholesterol metabolism in rabbit arterial endothelial cells in culture.

Like all other peripheral cells types thus far studied in culture, endothelial cells derived from the rabbit aorta bind, internalize and degrade low density lipoprotein (LDL) at a significant rate. At any given LDL concentration, the metabolism by rabbit endothelial cells was slower than that by fibroblasts or smooth muscle cells. Thus, longer incubations were required to achieve a net increment in cell cholesterol content or to suppress endogenous sterol synthesis; after 18-24 h incubation in the presence of LDL at 100 microgram LDL protein/ml inhibition was greater than 80% relative to the rate in cells incubated in the absence of lipoproteins. High density lipoproteins (HDL) were also taken up and degraded but did not inhibit sterol synthesis. Studies of LDL binding to the cell surface suggested the presence of at least two classes of binding sites; the high-affinity binding sites were fully saturated at very low LDL concentrations (about 5 microgram LDL protein/ml). However, the degree of inhibition of endogenous sterol synthesis increased progressively with increasing LDL concentrations from 5 to 100 microgram LDL/ml, suggesting that uptake from the low affinity sites in this cell line contributes to the suppression of endogenous sterol synthesis. The internalization and degradation of LDL also increased with concentrations as high as 700 microgram/ml. Thus, in vivo, where the cells are exposed to LDL concentrations far above that needed to saturate the high affinity sites, most of the LDL degradation would be attributable to LDL taken up from low affinity sites. As noted previously in swine arterial smooth muscle cells and in human skin fibroblasts, unlabeled HDL reduced the binding, internalization and degradation of labeled LDL. Cells incubated for 24 h in the presence of high concentrations of LDL alone showed a net increment in cell cholesterol content; the simultaneous presence of HDL in the medium significantly reduced this LDL-induced increment in cell cholesterol content. The possible relationship between LDL uptake and degradation by these cells in vitro is discussed in relationship to their transport function in vivo.     

The synthesis of subendothelial matrix by bovine aortic endothelial cells in culture

Bovine aortic endothelial cells cultured on collagenous or plastic substrata continuously synthesize and deposit a subendothelial matrix, independently of whether the cells are in the logarithmic or the stationary phase of growth. This subendothelial matrix contains fibrillar and amorphous elements comparable with those observed in the subendothelium in vivo. Deposition of subendothelial matrix on a collagen gel substratum both started earlier and progressed at approximately double the rate than that on denatured collagen. The relative composition of the subendothelial matrix was assessed by sequential incubation with trypsin, elastase and collagenase (Jones et al., 1979). The subendothelial matrix deposited on collagen gels by early confluent cultures and late post-confluent cultures differed in their enzyme sensitivity. These age-related changes in the enzyme sensitivity of the subendothelial matrix were characteristic for each cloned cell population examined. Comparable variations in the composition of the subendothelial matrix were not observed when the cells were cultured on plastic or gelatin-coated dishes; the subendothelial matrix deposited on these two substrata contained considerably more trypsin-sensitive material and less elastase and collagenase-sensitive material than the matrix deposited on native collagen gels. Age-related changes in the enzyme sensitivity of the subendothelial matrix deposited on collagen gels was found to be a function of the time elapsed since confluence and it was not related to the time elapsed since plating or to the number of cells present.     

Heterogeneity of rabbit aortic endothelial cells in primary culture

Factor VIII-related antigen (F8-RAg) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) are accepted diagnostic markers of endothelial cells in culture. However, when we isolated cells from rabbit thoracic aorta (after collagenase treatment and gentle scraping of the intima) and examined them with immunoperoxidase techniques, we observed two cell types which stained specifically for either F8-RAg or ACE, but not both. Each cell type was morphologically distinguishable in primary culture. F8-RAg-positive cells were recognizable in distinct patches as more elongated, tightly apposed, and firmly adherent cells; they exhibited only faint or no staining for ACE and no accumulation of a fluorescent, acetylated low-density lipoprotein probe (DiI-Ac-LDL), another endothelial cell marker. In contrast, ACE-positive cells were more rounded, less closely apposed, and grew as strict monolayers that exhibited a characteristic cobblestone appearance at confluence; ACE-positive cells were F8-RAg negative, but demonstrated intense labeling with DiI-Ac-LDL. Subcultures of ACE-positive cells were also stained by anti-rabbit thrombomodulin.     

Ultrastructural localization of adenosine diphosphatase activity in cultured aortic endothelial cells

Summary Electron microscope cytochemical studies demonstrate that the plasma membrane of cultured aortic endothelial cells contain significant amounts of adenosine diphosphatase. The activity is due to an ectoenzyme on the upper surface of the cell. Intracellular activity was noted in multilamellar bodies.     

A unique, pepsin-sensitive collagen synthesized by aortic endothelial cells in culture

A unique collagen, designated EC, has been isolated from the culture medium of adult bovine aortic endothelial cells. After diethylaminoethylcellulose chromatography of [3H]proline-labeled culture medium, three non-disulfide-bonded bacterial collagenase-sensitive components with apparent Mr of 177000 (EC 1), 125000 (EC 2), and 100000 (EC 3) were demonstrated. Molecular sieve chromatography, cyanogen bromide cleavage, and two-dimensional peptide mapping of radioiodinated EC fragments produced by protease digestion suggest that the lower molecular weight components originate from EC 1. Both EC 1 and EC 2 were digested by pepsin within 10 min to products of less than 60000 molecular weight, under conditions which supported only limited proteolysis of other native collagens. A pepsin-resistant fragment of Mr 50000, derived from a digest of EC 2, contained equal amounts of hydroxyproline and proline, suggesting that at least a portion of the endothelial collagen contains a stable, collagen-like triple helix. Comparative mapping using mast cell protease and cyanogen bromide cleavage, followed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, indicates that the primary structure of this collagen differs from that of other known collagen types.     

Changes in cation composition of aortic endothelial cells in culture

As a first step in the study of membrane transport characteristics of aortic endothelial cells the content of the two main cations, Na and K, was determined in cultured cells from bovine and porcine origins. The Na and K contents of cultured endothelial cells, dissociated by scraping or trypsin and collagenase treatment and subsequently separated through oil (25% dodecyl-, 75% dibutyl-phthalate), were more than 20-fold higher and five-fold lower, respectively, than those of undissociated cells. Based on daily determination of cell Na, K, and protein contents, the following findings were made. (1) Steady-state levels of Na and K were not reached in subconfluent, confluent or post-confluent monolayers. Instead, intracellular K content varied by up to two-fold, and intracellular Na by more than six-fold with marked 'peaks' after confluency. (2) Increasing the number of passages decreased cellular Na but not K content. (3) In cells cultured with 25 mM HEPES (4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid) the protein content was decreased by five-fold. (4) The K/Na ratio was dependent on the number of passages and buffers used and varied daily. (5) Cell Na decreased and K increased exponentially with the seeding density. These data not only reveal significant changes of ion transport parameters during manipulations of endothelial cell cultures, but moreover suggest unsynchronized development of ion transport systems and/or their intermittent activation and deactivation as reflected in the variations observed in cellular cation composition.     

Adenine nucleotides modulate phosphatidylcholine metabolism in aortic endothelial cells

ATP and ADP, in concentrations ranging from 1-100 microM, increased the release of [3H]choline and [3H]phosphorylcholine (P-choline) from bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) prelabelled with [3H]choline. This action was detectable within 5 minutes and was maintained for at least 40 minutes. ATP and ADP were equiactive, and their action was mimicked by their phosphorothioate analogs (ATP gamma S and ADP beta S) and adenosine 5'-(beta, gamma imido) triphosphate (APPNP), but not by AMP, adenosine, and adenosine 5'-(alpha, beta methylene)triphosphate (APCPP): these results are consistent with the involvement of P2Y receptors. ATP also induced an intracellular accumulation of [3H]choline: the intracellular level of [3H]choline was increased 30 seconds after ATP addition and remained elevated for a least 20 minutes. The action of ATP on the release of choline metabolites was reproduced by bradykinin (1 microM), the tumor promoter phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA, 50 nM), and the calcium ionophore A23187 (0.5 microM). Down-regulation of protein kinase C, following a 24-hour exposure of endothelial cells to PMA, abolished the effects of PMA and ATP on the release of choline and P-choline, whereas the response to A23187 was maintained. These results suggest that in aortic endothelial cells, ATP produces a sustained activation of a phospholipase D hydrolyzing phosphatidylcholine. The resulting accumulation of phosphatidic acid might have an important role in the modulation of endothelial cell function by adenine nucleotides. Stimulation of phospholipase D appears to involve protein kinase C, activated following the release of diacylglycerol from phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate by a phospholipase C coupled to the P2Y receptors (Pirotton et al., 1987a).     

Uptake and metabolism of fluorescent ceramide analogs by rat oligodendrocytes in culture.

We studied the metabolism of sphingolipids by oligodendrocytes derived from rat spinal cord by providing lipid vesicles with either N-lissamine-rhodaminyl-ceramide (LRh-Cer) or N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl)-ceramide (NBD-Cer) to the cells cultured in a chemically-defined medium. With both probes the major fluorescent product turned out to be sphingomyelin (SM). Most of LRh-SM was not cell-associated but recovered from the culture medium, probably due to back-exchange to the lipid vesicles. The accumulation of LRh-SM, both in the cells and in the medium, was inhibited in the presence of monensin or brefeldin A, whereas the production of NBD-SM was much less affected by these Golgi perturbing drugs. With LRh-Cer as substrate, LRh-labelled fatty acid (FA), galactosyl- and sulfogalactosyl-ceramides (GalCer and SGalCer) were also formed. NBD-Cer, however, was metabolized to glucosylceramide (GlcCer) and GalCer but not to SGalCer or NBD-FA. These data demonstrate that chemical modifications of ceramide alter its metabolism in oligodendrocytes and that the metabolites of LRh-Cer reflect the glycolipid composition of myelin more closely than those of NBD-Cer.